Preloading apparatus for printing presses



Spt. 3, 1940- J. F. JIROUSE'K f 2,213,736 PRELOADING APPARATUS FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed Sept." 21, 1938 5 Sheets--'Sheet 1 I? u l li IIAI M. 4

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J. F. JIROUSEK PRELOADING- APPARATUS FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed Sept. 21, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. zfose v/f whoa/.521

65 4 Z 0 J7 ATro EYE J, F. JIROUSEK PRELOADIHG APPARATUS FOR PRINTING PRESSES Filed Sept. 21. 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. Jase ah 67' efz'floz/ae/f BY RNEY Sept. 3, 1940.

* I I Q Patented Sept. 3, 1940 UNITED STATES PRELOADING APPARATUS FOR PRINTING PRESSES Joseph F. Jirousek, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor'to The Chandler & Price Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application September 21, 1938, Serial No. 231,034.

7 Claims.

This invention relates as indicated to preloading apparatus for printing presses, but has reference more particularly to apparatus of this character which has been designed for use in connection with printing presses of the type illustrated in my co-pending patent application Serial No. 183,476.

A primary object of the invention is to provide apparatus whereby the sheet feeding table of the printing press may be loaded in a position which is readily accessible as compared with the normal position thereof relative to the press.

Another object of the invention is to provide means whereby the loaded feed table of the press may be moved from the loading position to the normal position, i. e., the position wherein it may be elevated by such sheet feeding means.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, said invention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detail certain mechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one of various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used.

In said annexed drawings:

Fig. l is a plan view of a portion of a printing press showing the preloading apparatus and parts of the feed table elevating means wherewith such apparatus cooperates; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4 is a transverse crosssectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a transverse cross-sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 2; Fig. 6 is a fragmentary enlarged cross-sectional view of the latching mechanism shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 7 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the preloader as viewed from the right of Fig. 2; Fig. 8 is a perspective view of one of the feed table gauges.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the printing press for which the present apparatus has been designed comprises a frame I having at opposite sides thereof endless conveyor chains 2 to the inner runs of which are secured brackets 3. These brackets support a feed table elevator comprising a substantially rectangular frame consisting of side members 4 and front and rear members 5, the intermediate portions of the front and rear members being depressed a considerable distance below the plane of the members 4, so as to provide space for the entrance of certain parts of the preloader, as will be presently described.

Arranged within the aforesaid frame are stands adapted totemporarily support the feed table of the press. Such stands comprise spaced legs (01. Will- 62) pieces 1 being at a level intermediate the level of the elevator members 4 and depressed portions v of members 5, and the legs 6 being rigidly secured to the floor of the room in which the press is located.

The preloader proper comprises a frame 8 having legs 9 to which are secured castors I whereby the preloader may be freely moved about on the floor of the room adjacent the press.

Mounted on the cross members 8a of the frame 8 are gibs or tracks ll upon which are slidably supported the side members l3 of the feed table supporting frame,'such frame including in addition to such side members longitudinally spaced cross rods l4. Journalled in the forward ends of the side members [3 are rollers l5, the function of which-will be presently described. The side members l3 are formed at their lower edges with rack teeth and are provided on their upper edges with rear gauge pins l1 and side gauge pins I 8 for the sheet feeding table IQ of the press. The table H! has openings in its lower surface into which the pins l8 extend whereby ,the table may be gaugedlaterally, the pins l1 gauging said table rearwardly. The rack teeth iii are in engagement with .pinions 20 which are keyed to a cross shaft 2l journalled in the frame 8 of the preloader.

Secured to one end of the shaft 2| is a large gear 22, rotation of which, for the purpose of causing the frame l3-l4 to be moved along the gibs I l is effected by means of a pinion 23 which is keyed to a shaft 26. Shaft 26 is slidably mounted in a tubular member 21 which is journalled in the frame 8 of the preloader. The shaft 26 is provided with a pin 28 which is movable along a slot 29 of the tube 21 so that the shaft 26 may be moved to the dotted line position shown in Figs. 1 and 5, Without disturbing the driving connection between the gears 22 and 23, it being noted at this point that the pinion 23, which is keyed to the tube 21, is not moved outwardly when the shaft 26 is moved to the dotted line position. The shaft 26' is adapted to be rotated by means of a crank 24 secured to the outer end thereof and provided with a handle In order to prevent displacement of the members l3 from the gibs H as such members are moved along the gibs, such members have secured thereto at the rear ends retainers 30 having inturned flanges 3i which engage the under sides of the gibs (see Fig. '7). Stops I2 are secured to the rear ends of the gibs H and these serve to limit the rearward movement of the members I 3.-

Pivotally secured to the frame 8 of the preloader as by means of a horizontally disposed pin 32 i a hinge member 33, which when in horizontal position as shown in solid lines in Fig. 5, may be pivotally connected as by means of a hinge pin 34 I to a hinge member 35 secured to the frame I of the press. By means of such hinge connection,

the preloader may be moved laterally of the press to a position wherein the feed table l9 thereof can be easily loaded with the stack of sheets S to be printed.

Upon swinging the preloader back to the position shown in Fig. 1, the preloader is maintained in such position by means of a latch designed to vator frame.

engage keepers 36 depending from the depressed portions of the rear members of the sheet elemember 31 having a curved cam face 38, such member being pivoted as at 39 toa bracket 40 secured to the front cross member 8a of the frame 8 of the preloader. Secured to'the upper end of the. bracket 4il-is a horizontally-extending member 4 5 between which and 'asimilar member 42 secured to the latching member 31-, is interposed a coil spring 43, suchspring tending to normally hold the latching member 31in the horizontal position shown in Fig. 6. Upon movement of the preloader to the position shown in Figs. 3 and 6, the cam face-38 of the latching member strikes the keeper 36', the latching memher being thereby depressed against the action j proper, a series of vertically extending gauges 4'8 of the spring 43, the parts finally assuming the position shown in Fig. 6.

Temporary front gauges 44 having feet 45 are secured to the front edge of the feed table l9 as by entering the feet 45 in holders 45 secured to the lower face of thetable adjacent said front edge.

For the purpose of gauging the front edge of the stack S with reference tothe printing press briefly described.

The preloader is swung to a position laterally of the press and the feed table I9 is placed therein in properly gauged position with reference to the pins l1 and I8; the gauges '44 being also in position. A stack of sheets S is: then placed on the table with the forward edge of said stack engaging the gauges 44, it: being understood'that the stack is also gauged laterally by any suitable means.

The preloader is then swung to the latched position shown in Figs. 1' and 2, and the crank 24 is then rotated so as to cause the members l3 to be moved inwardly towards the press, the rolls E5 riding onto the bridging pieces-I, and serving to enable the feed table to just clear the frame 45, asshown in Figs. 3 and 4, the members l3 finally assuming the position shown in Fig. 3. The chains are then: moved so as to lift the feed table 9 off the members I3, after which the rack members !3' are'retracted to their original posi-, tion. The frame ;45'bearing the feed table, is s then moved upwardly to the working position of the feed table. In the upward movement of the The latch comprises a latching feed table, the keepers 36 move clear of the latching memberstl', so that the preloader .may be swung away from the press for further loading.

If desired, the hinge pin 3% may be withdrawn and the hinge member 33 dropped to the dotted line position in Fig. 5, after which the preloader may be moved to any desired position away from the printing press.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention: i i

1. In a printing press, a frame, feed table ele-' vating means, a feed table,'a feed table support movable laterally of said frame to a position wherein the sheets to be'printed maybe placed on said feed table, and meansfor latching'said feed table support to said feed table elevating means. v a I 2. Ina printing press, a' frame, afeed table, feed table elevating means, a feed'table support movable laterally of said frame and away from said elevating means to a position wherein the sheets to be printed may be placed on said feed table, and means for temporarily latching said feed table support in position for-elevation of said. feed table by said feed table elevating means.

3. In a sheet feeding device for printing presses, a feed table, feed table elevating means, means for temporarily supporting said feed table in position to be engaged by said elevating means, a feed table support movable laterally of said temporary supporting means and rack mean'slfor transferringsaid feed table'from said support to said temporary supporting means.

4. In a printing press, a frame, a feed table, a

feed table support hinged to saidfr-ame and movable to a position laterally of said 'frame, feed table elevating means, means "for' temporarily supporting said feed table in position to be 'engaged'by said elevating means, and means for transferring said feed table from said support to said temporary supporting meansi" 5. In aprinting press, a frame, a feed table,'a feed table support hinged to said frame and movable to a position: laterally of said frame, feed table elevating means, meansfo-r temporarily supportingsaid feed table in position to beengaged by said elevating'means, and rack means for transferring said feed table-from said support to said temporary supporting means;

6. In a printing press, a frame, feed table elevating means, a feed table, a feed table support movable laterally of saidframe to a position wherein the sheets to be printed may readily be placed on said feed table, and rack'andgear means for transferring the loaded feedtable to a position for elevation by said elevating means;

'7. In a. printing press, a frame, feed table elevating means, a feed table, means for temporarily supporting said feed table in position to be en- 1 gaged by said elevating means, a feed table support movable laterally of said frame to a position wherein the sheets to be printed mayreadilybe placed on said feed table, and rac'kand gear means for transferring the loaded" feed table to said temporary supporting means. H I JOSEPH F. JIROU'SEK. 

